James f



(No Model.)

' J. P. MOELROY.

TEMPERATURE REGULATOR.

flare/afar Patented Jan. 27,1891.

Zlj'inasses:

JAMES F. MGELROY, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE CONSOLI- DATED CAR HEATING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TEMPERATURE-REGULATOR.

tPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,378, dated January 27, 18191.

Application filed May 1, 1890. fierial No. 350,173. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES F. MCELROY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Temperature-Regulators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic temperature-regulators; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction of the expansion chamber or vessel with the supporting-frame and connecting-levers, and in the construction of the mechanism for controlling the admission of the supply of compressed air or other fluid to open or close the steam-supply valve, and, further, the use in such an apparatus of a volatile expansion-fluid the boiling-point of which is at or near 70 Fahrenheit, and,

further, in the peculiar arrangement and corn bination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings which accompany this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical central section of my improved temperature-regulator. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof, and Fig. 4 is a rear elevation thereof.

A is the supporting frame-plate, which is preferably saucer-shaped and provided with suitable lugs B, by means of which it may be secured in posit-ion. The depth of the depression within the saucer is sufficient to hold within the expansible cell 6, which I c011- struct of two dishes, diaphragms a b, the edges of which are brazed together. This inner diaphragm b has centrally secured to it the circular re-enforcing-plate (land a screwthreaded shank e, which engages in a central screw-threaded aperture in the frame-plate. The outer diaphragm a has a similar reenforcing plate f, provided with a central boss, which is secured to the lever D by the screw g, the lever D being hingedto the lower edge of the frame-plate upon pivot Df. This lever at its upper end engages in a forked bearing E at one end of the bell-crank lever E, pivoted to the upper edge of the frameplate by the pivot F. The other end of this lever is pivotally secured to the valve-operating rod G. This rod at its lower end has the guide-pin H, engaging in a guide-tube I, which is screw-threaded and secured by the not 1 within a central aperture in the adjusting-nut I, which latter engages, by means of suitable screw-threads, with the rearwardly-extending arm J of the frameplate. The nut I is hollow, and upon the interior shoulder J it supports the lower end of the spring J", which at its upper end bears against the lug or collar K upon the rod G. The spring is clamped to the nut U by means of the flange K upon the tube I, which tube is held in its adjusted position by the nut I. The spring is clamped to the lug K by means of the hook M.

Secured to the rod G, preferably to the lug K thereon, is the arm N, bifurcated at its outer end to embrace the nut N upon the valve-stem 0.1 This arm lWI N is preferably of spring metal. The stem 0 slides in a guidearm 0' at its lower end. Its upper end carries the double valve P, designed to control compressed air or other fluid to actuate the steam-valve Q0,

The frame platc has the lug Q/npon its rear face, which has the two chambers R R, I

which are connected together by the passage S. The chamber R is connected by the pipe T with, a fluid-pressure chamber, and the chamber R by the pipe T with the steamvalve Q. The chamber R has the adj ustable plug U entering therein opposite the passage S. Through a central aperture V in this plug thevalve-stem 0 passes, the aperture V being larger than the stem and forming an exhaust-port for the supply-pipe T'.

In applying my device to a car I will connect the pipe T to the auxiliary reservoir of the brake system. Within the cell c,.formed by the two diaphragms, I put a liquid, the boiling-point of which is at or near the temperature desired to be maintained in the apartment to be heated. I preferably use rhigolene,the boiling-point of which is about Fahrenheit, or aldehyde, the boiling-point of which is at or near Fahrenheit.

The parts being thus constructed, they are intended to operate as follows: Thetension of the spring J maybe adjusted to the proper degree by turning up or down the ad justingnut 1 In its nornal position the tension of this spring will act, through the medium of the arm N and the stem 0, to raise the valve 5 P and close the passage S between the pipes T and T, thereby preventing the pressure from the air-reservoir acting upon the diaphragm of the valve, which is held open by the spring \V beneath the diaphragm. As IO soon as the temperature in the apartment has risen to the point at which the volatile liquid will boilsay 68 in the case of rhigolenethe vapors of the volatile liquid Within the cell will force the two diaphragms apart,

I 5 which will move the lever D, rock the bellerank lever E, depressing the rod G against the tension of the spring J and through the medium of the bar N and stem 0 open the passage S and allow the air from the pipe T to enter therefrom into the pipe T. The valve P will be moved downwardly, opening the passage S and closing the exhaust-port V. This allows the pressure from the compressed-air reservoir to enter through the passage S to the pipe T and there to act upon the diaphragm in the steam-valve against the pressure of the spring \V to close said steamvalve. As soon as the temperature lowers, the volatile liquid in the cell will contract and through the action described will allow the spring J 2 to expand and raise the valve P, closing the passage S and opening the exhaust-port V, thereby shutting off the pressure from the diaphragm and allowing the air 3 5 in the pipe T to escape through the exhaustport V, when the spring \V will open the steam-valve.

By using the volatile liquid the boilingpoint of which is at or near the temperature 0 at which the room is desired to be maintained I have found by experiment that it does not matter whether the cell between the diaphragms is entirely or only partially filled with fluid, as thevapor from the volatilization of such fluid will act to operate the device as well and quickly as the simple expansion of the fluid itself.

It is obviousthat byseparating-the two diaphragms composing the cell the space therein will be enlarged, the amount of liquid remaining the same, and a partial vacuum will be formed therein, and, as is well known, the liquid, being under a less pressure, will vaporize at a lower temperature andthus make my device more sensitive in its operation.

It is obvious from the construction previously described that the spring J 2 may be used to increase or diminish the pressure upon the fluid within the cell and to move the diaphragms to enlarge or reduce the size of the cell.

By the use of double diaphragms forming the cell I am enabled to get the utmost expansion from the fluid within without danger of cracking or injuring either of the diaphragms and to obtain twice the motion which would be obtained by the use of a single diaphragm within a rigid vessel.

I am aware that a volatile liquid has heretofore been used in a temperature-regulator; but I am not aware that a volatile liquid has been used heretofore fora temperature-regulator the boiling-point of which is at or near the temperature at which the apartment is to be maintained.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is'- 1. In a temperature-regulator, the combination, with the frame-plate, of a bell-crank hinged thereto formed with a forked end, a lever hinged to the opposite end of the plate and engaging the forked end of said bellcrank, an expansion-chamber interpo'sed between the levers and plate, a rod connected with the bell-crank in the rear of the plate, a regulating-spring on the frame engaging the rod, and a valve-controlling arm on the rod, substantially as described.

2. In a temperature-regulator, the combination with the frame, of a lever hinged thereto, an expansion-chamber secured to the lever and frame, respectively, a bell-crank pivoted to the frame, one end of which engages the lever, a rod secured to the bell-crank, a regulating-spring on the frame engaging the rod, and a yielding valve-controlling arm connected with the rod, substantially as described.

8. In a temperature-regulator, the combination, with the expansion-chamber and frame, of a lever actuated by the chamber, a rod on the lever, an adjusting-nut on the frame, a guide in. said nut, and a tension-spring on the rod engaging with the nut, substantially as described.

4. In a temperature-regulator, the combination, with the expansion-chamber and frame, of a bell-crank actuated by the expansionchamber, a rod on the bell-crank, a regulating-spring on the frame engaging said rod, and a controlling-valve actuated by the rod, substantially as described.

5. In a temperature-regulator, the combination, with the frame, of a lever pi voted thereto and extending up directlyin front of the same, an expansion-chamber interposed between and secured to the frame and lever, a valve operating rod actuated by the lever, a spring on the frame engaging the rod, and means for regulating the tension of the spring, substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 17th day of April, 1890.

JAMES F. McELRoYf Witnesses:

EDWIN A. SMITH, JOHN B. BRAIDWooD. 

